Summary: Haaretz reports the Israeli army has confiscated land in the northern West Bank to upgrade an unpaved track linking the new settlements Noa and Emek Dotan. The land had previously been administered by the Palestinian Authority, and the NGO Kerem Navot says this appears to be the first seizure of Area A land to link settlements—a step it warns may violate international law. The army says the upgrade is for faster military access and that the route will remain open to Palestinians.
Israeli Army Seizes West Bank Land to Upgrade Road Linking New Settlements, NGO Says It May Breach Law
FILE PHOTO - Construction workers carry on building a new Part of the Separation Wall around the village of Salem along the northern border of Israel with the West-Bank city of Jenin. (is associated with: «Israel confiscates land for West Bank settlement road») Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
The Israeli army has moved to confiscate land in the northern West Bank to upgrade an existing unpaved track and connect two newly authorised settlements, Haaretz reported.
What the reports say: According to Haaretz, the parcels of land had previously been administered by the Palestinian Authority. The planned route will link the settlements of Noa and Emek Dotan. The newspaper added that the first families could move into the new communities as soon as next month.
The army said the work is intended to provide faster access for its forces deployed in the area and that the upgraded route will remain accessible to Palestinians. An army spokesman did not clarify whether the road is being built specifically for Israeli settlers.
Kerem Navot, an Israeli non-governmental organisation, told Haaretz this is the first time the army has confiscated land inside so-called Area A to link Israeli settlements, warning the move could contravene international law.
Legal and political context: Under the Oslo-era arrangements, territories designated as Area A are under full Palestinian Authority control. They account for roughly 18% of the West Bank and include most major Palestinian cities. Israeli civilians are, in principle, barred from entering these zones under Israeli law.
Observers and analysts say the action fits a broader pattern: the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been expanding Israeli control over the occupied West Bank and has approved the establishment of dozens of new settlements in recent years.
Notes: Reporting to date is based on Haaretz and statements from the Israeli army and Kerem Navot. The army’s claim that the road will remain open to Palestinians and its stated security rationale have not been independently verified in this report.
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